2026 Stillwater Election Desk

The Stillwegian Election Desk is your 2026 voter guide for Stillwater and Payne County. Every election cycle, the Election Desk brings together original candidate research, tailored questionnaires grounded in local issues, and verified biographical information — all sourced, fact-checked, and presented without editorial bias.

We do not endorse candidates. That is not our role. What we do is give you the tools to decide for yourself.

Registered members can submit endorsement letters in support of candidates, published alongside candidate bios and questionnaire responses below. When you read the Election Desk, you are reading original journalism alongside the voices of your neighbors — people who live in your district, follow these races, and want to be heard.

No other local publication is doing this. We think it matters.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Candidates: If you find an error in your biographical information, please contact us at 405-314-6629 or email chris@thestillwegian.news.

About the June 16 primary

According to the Payne County Election Board, Payne County has 45,414 registered voters. For context on what to expect: the 2024 presidential general election drew 64.72 percent turnout countywide, while the April 2026 school and municipal general election drew just 5.60 percent. Primary elections typically fall somewhere in between, though voter eligibility varies by district and race.

Five contested Republican primaries — two for county commissioner, one for state senate, and two for state house — will effectively decide several local races before November. Because no Democrat or independent filed in four of the five primary races, the Republican primary winner takes the seat outright.

House District 33's Republican primary winner will face Democrat Dr. Max E. Burchett Jr. in November. House District 34 has no primary — incumbent Rep. Trish Ranson and Republican Aaron Means go directly to the November 3 general election.

Early voting: June 11-12, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | June 13, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Early voting locations:

Payne County Expo Center — 4518 Expo Cir E, Stillwater
Cushing Chamber of Commerce — 1301 E Main St, Cushing

Election Day: June 16, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters can check their Election Day polling place at okvoterportal.okelections.gov.

Voter registration, turnout, and early voting information sourced from the Payne County Election Board.

Payne County Board of Commissioners, District 1

County commissioners in Oklahoma are elected to serve as the principal administrators and business managers of the county. While road and bridge construction and maintenance is among the office's most visible functions — commissioners hold exclusive jurisdiction over county highways and bridges under Oklahoma law — the role also includes supervising the county's financial affairs, setting and administering county policies, developing personnel policies, inspecting and approving county programs and facilities, and auditing the accounts of other county officers.

District 1 covers the eastern portion of Payne County. Incumbent Zachary Cavett faces two challengers. No Democrat or independent filed, so the primary winner takes the seat.

Zach Cavett, 47, Glencoe

Republican — Incumbent

Cavett has served as District 1 commissioner since 2012, making him the longest-tenured member of the current board. He serves as board chairman. Cavett began his career working with county road and bridge crews out of high school before winning election to the seat.

Note: No campaign website or social media presence has been identified for Cavett's 2026 campaign.

Zach Cavett — Questionnaire responses

You have served as District 1 commissioner since 2012. What do you consider your most significant accomplishments during that time, and what unfinished work are you seeking re-election to complete?

I consider some of the greatest accomplishments completed to be the completion of the Norfolk Road CIRB project. This three-mile project was engineered several years prior to me taking office and was finally completed in 2025. This project was made possible from funding that was obtained through the CIRB program and diligent work to bring those funds into Payne County. This project brought in over $5 million in infrastructure improvements. During my tenure, I have brought in over $1 million per year of outside funding to aid in infrastructure improvements. There have been over 10 bridges built and 50 miles of new asphalt placed under my leadership.

Unfinished work: I currently have partnerships and agreements with the Pawnee and Sac & Fox tribes to build up to 10 bridges in Payne County within their tribal territory. This is estimated to save Payne County taxpayers over $10 million. I also have engineering design working on two miles of roadway reconstruction on 9th and Harmony east of Cushing to improve the roadway and add a sidewalk for the new Cushing school facility. There are also more road improvements planned within our County 5-year plan I would like to complete.

What are the most significant challenges District 1 faces over the next two to four years, and how would you address them?

Challenges that District 1 faces are not much different than any other county or business faces — not enough funding to accomplish all that I would like to accomplish. That being said, Payne County is blessed to have the funding we have. If roads were evaluated from Payne and surrounding counties, one would find that we have significantly better roads overall. Another challenge most all counties face is the ability to pay employees enough to keep them.

How do you currently measure and communicate road maintenance progress to District 1 residents, and what would you do to improve transparency going forward?

Payne County District 1 currently has a process to address call-in requests. All requests are logged into a live document allowing all necessary employees to know where areas of concern are to be addressed. Once the request has been addressed, it is logged as completed and my assistant has been tasked with informing and verifying that the caller's requests were satisfactorily addressed. When District 1 is in the process of planning roadwork, my assistant is tasked with posting potential delays, road closures and improvements on Facebook.

Oklahoma lawmakers and voters are debating proposals to limit property taxes. What is your position on property tax reform, and how would any changes affect road and bridge funding in District 1?

I do not have any issues with any tax reform. I believe we first need to have other funding mechanisms in place to take their place. The thought of not paying property tax sounds great, but what services will be lost with that funding loss without replacing it? Law enforcement? Fire? Legal filings? Currently in Payne County road districts 1 and 3, only two road foremen and the chairman's assistant are funded with property tax funds, so that would not have a drastic effect on road and bridge funding directly. It would, however, have monumental negative effects in all other aspects of county government, as well as schools, which receive around 87% of property taxes.

You ran unopposed in your last election but now face two challengers. What do you say to voters who may be open to a change in this seat?

I began my career with Payne County in 1997, working through every aspect of county work from mechanics to road and bridge building. I was elected to serve as your commissioner in 2012. I have brought in on average over $1 million per year of outside funds since 2012 to aid in improving our infrastructure. I not only deal with roads and bridges, but also with updating policy and procedures for Payne County and addressing liability concerns facing government entities today. I am young enough to be actively involved, old enough to be intelligently involved, and experienced enough to be competently involved.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Ray Harper, 66, Glencoe

Republican — Challenger

Harper has lived in Payne County since 1985. He spent 27 years at Mercury Marine, worked in construction, spent 10 years with ASCO, and has more than 40 years of carpentry and remodeling experience, according to his campaign Facebook page. Harper has framed his candidacy around road safety and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/RayHarperDistrict1CountyCommissioner

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Jacob Presuhn, 31, Ripley

Republican — Challenger

Presuhn and his wife operate a small farm near Ripley. His background is in hospital maintenance, where he said he developed skills in service and problem-solving. He has proposed implementing performance-based road reviews and a predictive maintenance program for county equipment, according to his campaign Facebook page.

Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574290366477

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Payne County Board of Commissioners, District 3

Oklahoma county commissioners serve as principal administrators and business managers of the county, with responsibilities that extend well beyond road and bridge maintenance — including supervising county finances, setting county policy, auditing other county officers' accounts, and managing personnel. Under Oklahoma law, commissioners hold exclusive jurisdiction over county highway and bridge construction, maintenance, and repair within their districts.

District 3 covers the western portion of Payne County. Incumbent Rhonda Markum faces one challenger. No Democrat or independent filed, so the primary winner takes the seat.

Rhonda Markum, 63, Stillwater

Republican — Incumbent

Markum was elected in 2022 after eight years as the District 3 administrative assistant under two commissioners. Before filing for the seat, she earned the Road Scholars certification, a state-level course in road construction management and documentation.

Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570963825948

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Clayton Estus, 32, Mulhall

Republican — Challenger

Estus describes himself as a lifelong Payne County resident with a background in heavy equipment and road construction. His campaign website emphasizes fiscal accountability and improved communication with constituents.

Campaign website: estus4commissioner.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573307905367

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Oklahoma Senate, District 20

Oklahoma state senators serve four-year terms and are members of the upper chamber of the state Legislature. Their responsibilities include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes. Senators also contribute to the creation of state law through legislation they introduce and shepherd through the legislative process, and the Senate serves to advise and consent on many gubernatorial appointments. The Legislature meets in regular session from February to May each year.

Senate District 20 covers Payne, Noble, Pawnee, Logan, and Kingfisher counties. No Democrat or independent filed, making the Republican primary the decisive contest.

Chuck Hall, 59, Perry

Republican — Incumbent

Hall is a fourth-generation Oklahoman raised and educated in Perry public schools. He has represented Senate District 20 since 2018 and is seeking his third and final term under state term limits. He currently chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves as chairman of the board of Exchange Bank & Trust Company, a community bank with approximately 70 employees and locations in Perry and Stillwater. Hall previously served as Perry's mayor from 2007 to 2013 and as the city's treasurer beginning in 1995. He and his wife, Amy, have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Senate page: oksenate.gov/senators/chuck-hall Campaign website: votechuckhall.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/voteChuckHall

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Mark LeMarr, 63, Crescent

Republican — Challenger

A 1981 Guthrie graduate, LeMarr earned a bachelor's degree in pastoral ministry and evangelism and has pastored CrossPointe Assembly Church in Crescent since 1989. He previously served as mayor of Cimarron City and spent eight years on the Rural Water District No. 2 board. He also chaired the Logan County Hospital Foundation Board. LeMarr has pledged to accept no lobbyist money. His campaign priorities include a moratorium on wind and solar energy projects on rural land and lower property taxes.

Campaign website: marklemarr.com

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 33

Oklahoma state representatives serve two-year terms and are members of the lower chamber of the state Legislature. Their responsibilities include introducing and voting on legislation, setting state spending levels, and voting on tax measures. The Legislature meets in regular session from February to May each year.

House District 33 covers portions of Logan and Payne counties. Two Republicans will face off in the June 16 primary. The winner will face Democrat Dr. Max E. Burchett Jr. in November. Burchett ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Molly Jenkins, 61, Coyle

Republican — Incumbent

Jenkins won the District 33 seat in the June 2024 Republican primary, defeating then-incumbent John Talley with 60 percent of the vote. She holds a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. Jenkins taught as a middle school educator and adjunct professor for more than a decade before owning and operating a real estate brokerage. At the Capitol, she serves on the Common Education Committee and the Elections and Ethics Committee.

House page: okhouse.gov/representatives/molly-jenkins Campaign website: jenkinsforhouse.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572900361799

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

B.J. Roberson, 46, Cushing

Republican — Challenger

Roberson is a real estate investor and current mayor of Cushing, where he has served on the city commission for nearly a decade. His wife, Maria, is a military veteran and nurse anesthetist. Their son currently serves as a Navy corpsman. Roberson's campaign priorities include rural infrastructure, rural health care access, and what he describes as accountability at the Capitol.

Campaign website: bjrobersonok.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/BJRobersonOK

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Dr. Max E. Burchett Jr., 49, Guthrie

Democrat — November general election candidate

Burchett will not appear on the June 16 primary ballot. He will face the Republican primary winner in the November 3 general election.

Burchett is a pharmacist and healthcare executive who serves as chief information officer of the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, which his campaign describes as the largest urban Native American clinic in the United States. He has been in that role since September 2021, and previously worked as a clinical informatics pharmacist at the same organization for more than six years. A Bartlesville native, Burchett moved to Guthrie in 2021 and attended Bartlesville High School, Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. His campaign priorities include expanding health care access, supporting public education, and infrastructure investment including rural broadband expansion.

Campaign website: burchettforok.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577466602178

Questionnaire responses: Pending.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit

Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 34

House District 34 covers the core of Stillwater. There is no June 16 primary in this race. Incumbent Rep. Trish Ranson is unopposed on the Democratic side, and Republican Aaron Means became the automatic GOP nominee after the Oklahoma State Election Board ruled his only primary opponent, Ted Riley, ineligible at a candidacy contest hearing on April 16. Riley had registered to vote in HD 34 on Nov. 5, 2025 — more than a month after the six-month registration deadline required prior to the April 1-3 filing period. Riley did not attend the hearing or respond to the petition. Ranson and Means will face each other in the November 3 general election. Means lost to Ranson by 14.8 percentage points in 2018 and by 5 points in 2020.

Trish Ranson, 56, Stillwater

Democrat — Incumbent

Ranson has represented House District 34 since 2018 and is seeking her fifth term. Before running for office, she taught elementary music for 15 years at Westwood Elementary in Stillwater and served as a conductor with the OSU Youth Choir. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wichita State University and a graduate degree from Oklahoma State University.

At the Capitol, Ranson serves as House Democratic Caucus Chair — a post she has held since 2023 — and sits on the Full Appropriations and Budget, Health and Human Services Oversight, Agriculture, and Postsecondary Education committees. Her most recent legislation, HB 1979, creates an Early Childhood Task Force to study how Oklahoma delivers services to children ages birth through five; it passed both chambers and was sent to the governor's desk in May.

House page: okhouse.gov/representatives/trish-ranson Campaign website: ransonhouse34.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/RansonHouse34

Questionnaire responses: Pending.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit

Aaron Means, 67, Stillwater

Republican — Challenger

Means is a retired dentist who served in the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Public Health Service before settling in Stillwater. He is originally from Baltimore and attended Morgan State University, according to his personal Facebook profile. He currently describes himself as self-employed as director of Una Casa para Oración Cristiana, a Christian prayer ministry. He has run against Ranson twice before, losing by 14.8 points in 2018 and by 5 points in 2020. His 2026 campaign does not have a website. On his Rumble channel, Means describes his candidacy as rooted in conservative values on family and community.

Campaign Facebook ("Dr Means for House"): facebook.com/DrAaronMeans Personal Facebook: facebook.com/aaronrmeanssr Rumble: rumble.com/user/AaronMeansSr

Questionnaire responses: Pending.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit

Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 35

House District 35 covers portions of Creek, Noble, Osage, Pawnee, and Payne counties. No Democrat or independent filed, making the Republican primary the decisive contest.

See all Stillwegian coverage of this race →

Dillon Travis, 33, Maramec

Republican — Incumbent

Travis won the District 35 seat in February's special election with 64 percent of the vote over Democrat Luke Kruse, after winning the Republican nomination in January. A sixth-generation Oklahoman from Pawnee County, he owns and operates Southern Plains Ag Co., an agricultural supply company serving producers across four states, and manages his family's cattle and hay operation in Maramec. His wife, Kaylee, is a lecturer in agricultural communications at Oklahoma State University. They have a daughter.

At the Capitol, Travis serves on the Appropriations and Budget Finance Subcommittee, the Agriculture Committee, the Business Committee, and the Government Oversight Committee.

House page: okhouse.gov/representatives/dillon-travis Campaign website: votedillontravis.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/votedillontravis

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Kevin Wright, 58, Jennings

Republican — Challenger

Wright is a lifelong Oklahoman and 28-year businessman who served 12 years as mayor of Jennings. He also taught Sunday school and serves as president of the Promise, Literacy, and Education Foundation, a ministry founded by his late father. Wright was eliminated in the December 2025 special Republican primary and filed again for the June primary. His campaign priorities include eliminating the state income tax, supporting law enforcement, and protecting what he calls rural property rights.

Campaign website: wrightforstaterep.com Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/p/Kevin-Wright-for-State-House-District-35-61581910318443

Questionnaire responses: Pending — responses due June 10.

Reader endorsements: Reader endorsement letters will appear here as they are received and approved for publication.

Submit an endorsement letter → thestillwegian.news/candidate-endorsement-letters-how-to-submit Deadline: 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Candidate information compiled from campaign websites, campaign Facebook pages, official legislative profiles, and The Stillwegian's 2026 candidate filing guide. The Stillwegian reached out to all candidates with questionnaires. Responses will be published as received.

Endorsement letters represent the views of their authors, not of The Stillwegian or its staff. The Stillwegian does not endorse candidates.

This page covers the 2026 election cycle. Last updated: June 7, 2026

See all Stillwegian election coverage →